A New Chance
by cometothedarksidewehavecookies
Summary: Harry finds himself thrown back into the past to a much younger Hogwarts 3 years after the Battle of Hogwarts, he tries to keep out of trouble, but as you know trouble always has a way of finding him.
1. Chapter 1

A unique chance allows Harry to get away from the chaos surrounding him after the war with Voldemort, in an accident he finds himself back at Hogwarts but not in his time.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, a new year for your Professors to fill your heads with useful information and exciting spells, but before we tuck into our excellent feast I must make a few announcements, firstly our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher is Mr. Harry Potter here," At his words a tall young man no older than 21 stood up and gave a small wave before falling into his seat again.

"And no, there is no relation to our Head Boy James Potter before we start making vicious rumours" Dumbledore continued. He announced a few more things, but most people's attention was on the newcomer.

Harry sat there nervously listening to Dumbledore with one ear, 'I can't believe what the hell I've got into' He thought. He was aroused from his musings by Dumbledore starting the feast, he tucked into the food eagerly to avoid the students staring at him.

So obviously Harry had 7th year Gryffindor and Slytherins first thing the next morning, at his first lesson. 'I bet Dumbledore was conspiring with McGonagall to do this to me' He thought on the way down to his classroom after breakfast.

He walked down the corridor to the classroom and was met with stony silence and stares at the doorway to the Defence classroom "Do you greet all your new teachers like this?" He laughed.

"Oh no of course not" A student piped up his mother of course "We are just really curious about you."

"Well let's not chat out here let's go inside" Harry said as he opened the door and lead everyone in.

"So I'm your new Professor as you can all tell," Harry started once everyone found themselves a seat and quietened down. "I'm sure you are very experienced in receiving new Professors so we shall just get stuck in with the work. I'm sure the rest of your teachers will tell you all about the importance of this year especially Prof. McGonagall so I'll save myself 10 minutes and just trust you to know what is right for you." Harry surveyed the class; they were all listening to him that was a good sign.

"Any questions before we continue?"

Quite a few hands shot up.

"Anything related to the course or the lessons?" Harry continued, all the hands dropped.

"Okay then ill let you ask me a few questions about me and ill answer a few." Harry relented resting against the edge of his desk.

He pointed to Sirius Black who seemed the most eager to be picked.

"How old are you?" He asked cheekily.

"21"

"Really?"

"Yeah"

"But, no offence you're a but young to be a teacher"

"If you are questioning my experience as a teacher I can tell you that Dumbledore believed I was qualified enough and I have dealt with a fair amount of Dark magic that I believe some of you may not experience in your lifetimes." Sirius looked satisfied and turned to James who gave a non-committal half shrug and they leaned back in their chars to let the rest ask questions.

A girl next to Lily started to wave her risen arm in the air trying to get Harry's attention.

"So are you single, I mean you don't have a girlfriend do you?" She asked.

Harry just stared 'what?' he thought 'she's old enough to be my mother!'

"Um well I have a girlfriend back home if that's what you mean."

"But are you serious, because like you're leaving her for at least a year." She continued.

"Well actually I say girlfriend but I proposed to her before I left for her we are supposed to get married next summer" All the girls apart from the blonde girl asking the questions swooned and awwwed, the boys rolled their eyes at them.

"So how did you propose?" A girl asked.

"Anyway, any other questions and then we can get back to the work we are supposed to be doing."

Lily put her hand up slowly.

"Yes miss?"

"Evans, Lily Evans, I was wondering, what kind of dark magic did you encounter?"

Harry looked at her, 'she's just as smart as everyone made her out to be'

"Well Miss Evans, it is the sort of magic that I would be ashamed if anyone in this classroom ever discovered, the sort that is restricted and banned for extremely good reasons and can give anyone in this room nightmares, no matter how hard you think you are," His eyes flickered over to the Slytherin side of the room where they all sat surveying him silently "And I wouldn't like to think of anyone in this room being able to perform this type of evil."

"The world isn't divided into good and evil Professor" A young slytherin yelled out.

"Let me guess someone told you its divided by those who seek power and those too weak to grasp it?" Something like that?

The Slytherin nodded.

"Well you are right in one aspect the world isn't black and white, there are varying shades of grey, I know that better than most people, but I do believe that in some way, there is good or evil. If I asked you all if you believed that Voldemort was good or evil what would you say?"

"Evil" Lily whispered.

"Right Miss Evans, he is evil, because he does not value human life, he kills with no remorse so that makes him evil, not just bad. And Dumbledore has made it clear to me that this year there is more emphasis on defence as well as your ordinary NEWT lessons, because who knows when he'll knock on your door." Harry turned to write on the board when a voice said. "What else can you do but to join him or die?"

"What would you see greater glory in? Joining him, or dying? I know what I would do"

"And what's that?" James asked.

Harry turned and looked his father in his eyes. "I would rather die James, than join a man that has killed people that I loved because at the end of the day it is only you that can decide whether you are good or evil, Voldemort made his choice and everyone in here must make their decision, between what is right and what is easy."

Harry walked to the board and wrote the word 'unforgivable's' on the board, and begun his lesson.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Getting to know each other.

The next day in Dumbledore Office.

"I didn't think it would get so intense so quickly" Harry confided to Dumbledore.

"Ahh but this is a country on the brink of a war, and everyone in your classroom this morning believes that the minutes they leave this school at the end of the year they must decide whether they should join or oppose Voldemort" Albus said.

"Yeah but I didn't' believe it was this bad from where I came from it was different it was more whether the rumours where true rather than what side they needed to pick, there were more sides then as well." Harry said.

"Well many of your students will need your guidance in the coming future, and I advise you to be truthful to many of them that you know you can trust as they can not verify whether Voldemort knows you, he has been active for a few good years now so they would believe any of your stories."

Harry nodded and walked out the door. Dumbledore was right no more than 2 days had passed before he got a shy knock at his office door.

"Come in" He yelled. He looked up to see the bright auburn hair of his mother entering the room, it reminded him painfully of Ginny who didn't know where he had disappeared off to, the 'trip' here had been too sudden to let anyone know where he was.

"Professor I had been thinking about what you said in class,"

"About the lesson?"

"No before that about choosing our side,"

"Sometimes it's not as easy as that, some people never have to choose"

"But I will, I know, I'm a muggleborn, you-know-who hates them."

"Call him by his name Miss Evans, else you will become more afraid of him, his name is Voldemort, or if you want call him by his birth name Tom Riddle"

"You know his real name? I thought Dumbledore didn't know that"

"What Dumbledore knows and says are two very different things, he is a smart man so I know he knows Tom's real name, he taught him here at Hogwarts."

"Really? What house was he in?

"Slytherin, but not all Slytherin's are that bad, and it doesn't mean all Gryffindors will be good either."

"One of my friends is in Slytherin but he is a really nice guy, I mean until he started to hang round Malfoy and Nott and now he barely speaks to me anymore."

"Well he must be in a hard position, to be your friend but have to deal with the others prejudices as well."

"I suppose"

"Is there something you wanted to say specifically?"

"Yes, it's just that you are really young yet you seem to have a lifetimes worth of experience dealing with dark magic I was wondering about that."

"Well I never looked for trouble but as I used to say trouble always seemed to find me and that was sort of how I got my experience plus I was put in a situation with a really evil man and learned some things the hard way." Harry replied.

"I see. Do you think this Dark Lord will get more powerful? Because he is scaring a lot of people."

"He will get more powerful yes but he is ignorant of a lot of things and that will be his downfall, a lot of people will have to make a hard decision soon about who they want to be, as I said I class the easy route or the right route. Neither is perfect, it's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. I sound like my best friend with all this philosophical stuff, she'd be so proud of me." Harry sighed thinking of Hermione. Lily was laughing at Harry.

"You're doing well, everyone is impressed with you," Lily looked at her watch, "I've got to go my rounds with Potter; I mean the other Potter start soon. I think I'm going to hex if he doesn't shut up during rounds" Lily stood up to leave.

"Just silencio him and talk your head off about girly things it'll make him go crazy, bit of his own medicine."

"Ooh great idea Professor. Thanks" She ran off down the corridor laughing.

The next day in his lesson with the 7th years Harry happily noted a smug look on his mothers face as she sat with Alice, Neville's mother. James walked in the room took one look at Lily chatting to her friend and raced to the spare seats at the front of the class rather than sit at the back near Lily. Sirius and Remus just followed him with bemused expressions on their faces.

"I daresay Mr Potter you seem to be rather fond of me these days, sitting at the front of class rather than the back where you usually sit." Harry taunted.

James just mumbled something incoherent about girls and talking.

"Never mind lets get on with the lesson shall we? I want everyone's homework on the unforgivable's please pass them forward. Good."

"So today's lesson is a little more practical I'm sure you'll be pleased to learn. Everyone stand up and push all your desks to the walls." Harry watched as everyone jumped out their seats Sirius very literally jumping, and pushed their desks and chairs to the edges of the classroom.

"Right today we are going to learn spells and defences. Who here can do the disarming spell?" Harry was met with looks of disbelief

"Is that nobody? Hmm well I'll have to sort that out"

"Disarming?" Remus said "everybody knows them."

"Well then Mr Lupin please demonstrate, disarm me."

Remus hesitated; the teacher wanted him to disarm him?

"Well, there's no room for hesitation during a battle you know."

Remus shot the spell towards Harry, it just missed him.

"That is why I wanted you to do that, because being able to do the spell isn't always good enough, you must have aim, a moving target is always a harder target, you also must know what spells are more useful in certain situations, for instance. There is an intruder in your home do you disarm him stun him or I don't know try and kill him?" Who would hazard a guess at what they would do."

"Stun him" James said.

"Disarm him" Sirius said at the same time. They looked at each other.

"And what would a disarmed robber do in your house, probably run at you and tackle you, so a stunned robber is better than a disarmed robber." They all nodded their understanding.

"Of course my main objective is not to prepare you all against a robber I'm here in case you need to deal with something a lot more dangerous. Who knows how to do the Patronus charm?"

"Patronus is incredibly advanced Professor, we can't do them." Lily cried out.

"Oh Lily, it is true it is incredibly advanced but with the right frame of mind anyone could do it. I learnt to do mine when I was 13 years old."

Impressed wouldn't have summed up how they were looking at him, it was more than that.

"13?" Someone said weakly.

"Yes, I have a bit of a problem with dementors, they seem to like me too much and I react badly to them so I needed to learn the charm quickly and ok yeah it took my the better part of 6 months and a desperate situation to get a corporeal patronus but I got there, not to mention a really good memory."

"So I am going to teach you the charm and I want you all to practice in your own time as it will be useful to you all in some form I should imagine.

Now the incantation is expecto patronum, repeat after me."

They repeated it a few times.

"Can we see your patronus?" Alice asked.

Harry hesitated, if he done his patronus would they recognise the similarities between him and James' animagus form?

The whole class looked really excited and were begging him to do it.

"Ok then I might as well show you" He cast the charm and a bright stag erupted from his wand and pranced around the room. He saw James Sirius and Remus look at it suspiciously and cast a look at Harry.

"Now patronus' can't be copied or duplicated, there are some instances in great emotional upheaval that the patronus may change form and in my experience I have seen it happen once, but usually it stays the same animal. So an excellent way to know if someone is really who they are is to check their patronus, polyjuice potion for example can't copy this." Harry continued the class and saw that Sirius and James kept giving him searching suspicious looks. He was glad when the class was over.

Author note: This is my third story posted so I'm still learning any positive reviews or ideas would be appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: In Pieces.

"It's rather suspicious, that's all I'm saying." Sirius said in a low voice over dinner, glancing quickly up at the staff table towards Prof. Potter.

"Suspicious? You think having the same thing for dinner two days in a row is a conspiracy of the house elves to make us suffer." James exclaimed.

"Just drop it how many animals are there in the world it's just a coincidence that we both have stag animals in us." James got up and left his dinner behind him as he walked off to the common room, it was bugging him as well he just didn't want to admit it to his friends, because they'll end up wanted to do something drastic and stupid.

"What's bugging you?" Came a voice from the side of the corridor.

"Oh leave me alone Evans" came James reply.

"Well as much as I would usually love to I noticed you seemed a bit out of sorts after the defence lesson, what's wrong? You upset you can't produce a patronus at first try." Lily taunted him.

"Look it's none of your business, and since your little stunt at patrols I'm going to leave you alone. Although speaking as a marauder, that was rather good planning, where did you get the idea from? My influence?" James retorted. Annoyed that she was trying to bug him, but pleased it was her he was talking to.

"Nope, from Professor Potter, he's like a nice you."

"A nice me? What is that meant to mean?"

"He's you inside and out, but not sarcastic and cruel to others."

"I'm not cruel,"

"You are to Severus"

"Well with what he called you last year I think I have every right to be mean to someone who's getting their mark straight after school."

"I don't know about that." Lily replied looking down a bit, she knew he was getting the mark; he did everything but openly admit it to her a few weeks ago. "He keeps trying to apologise for calling me a mudblood." She admitted to James.

"Well sorry isn't good enough if you ask me; it's a horrible thing to pick on someone because of their birth."

"Well it was your fault in the first place, if you hadn't picked on him, and I hadn't defended him he wouldn't have gotten embarrassed, Severus is very self sufficient, he always had to be, he doesn't like anyone to help him."

"That's a bit far fetched Lily, he would have some point shown his true colours and called you that. Don't defend him."

"He would do anything for me though; I just can't trust him much."

"Yeah it's the he would do anything for you that would worry me."

"Why?"

"Would he die for you?"

"Probably."

"Would he kill for you?"

"I…I don't think I like what you're implying."

"I don't either but the truth is Snape is infatuated with you, he would do anything to get his mitts on you, and I bet when he joins the Dark Lord he'll do a deal to get you."

"That's a horrible thing to say."

"Truth hurts Lily" James walked away from her and as soon as he turned a corner he ran all the way to the common room and dove into his bed where he could think things over.

It was probably the only time James had ever walked away from her; she was always the one leaving because of him. She thought he would always persist her and was slightly put out when she realised he didn't, ignoring the feeling she went to the common room to do her homework. She found the common room deserted save for a few first years that finished dinner early and were struggling with some homework. Sighing she went over to the young wizards and started to help them.

"Where's James?" Sirius said as he entered the common room less than 30 minutes later.

"I don't know, he got here before me maybe he's in the dorm?"

Remus just came down from the dorm shaking his head. "Oh the head boy?" one of the first years Lily was tutoring asked. "He came in a few minutes before you did and ran upstairs."

"So how did he get away?"

Sirius seemed to realise. "Oh Remus he's got the cloak, must of used that to slip out. You got the map?" he said as he turned slightly to talk to Remus semi privately away from Lily. Assuming she never cared what happened to James, they thought she'd stopped listening.

"Yeah I got the map I solemnly swear that I am up to no good, let's see he's not in the tower, not at the Quidditch Pitch, he's, um this may not be good," Remus said.

"Oh dear" was all Sirius said.

Lily had to hold in asking what was happening.

"Why would he do that?"

"Must be bothering him more than he let on"

"Else he has a problem with Defence homework, which is unlikely."

"What should we do?"

"He'll kill us if we followed him, we'll wait here and see what happened, and we can't do anything right now." Remus said as he muttered something and put the parchment back in his robes as the two boys sat down near the fire and begun a game of Wizards chess.

'He must be at Prof. Potter's office.' Lily thought, it was the only reasonable theory that came from it. 'What should I do' she thought 'hang on? Why should I care its Potter he can deal with anything' she shook her head and continued with the young students.

In the defence office.

"Mr Potter, what can I do for you? I assume it's nothing to do with the homework?"

"Oh no of course not, that's easy."

"So what's wrong?"

"Why a stag?" James blurted out.

"My patronus?"

James nodded.

Harry desperately tried to keep cool; he had no idea what to say to him.

"Well is there some sort of trouble with the shape it takes?"

"Well sort of yeah but I can't tell you why because you'll tell Prof Dumbledore and ill get in trouble."

"I know you are an illegal animagus if that helps."

"Oh. Damn I'm busted."

Harry started to laugh, "I won't tell on you James if that makes you feel better, I've recently been attempting to become an animagus haven't made much headway too many other things seem to get in the way."

"Oh cool, what animal do you become?"

"A raven, something to do with my love of flying and the black hair, as my girlfriend told me."

"But why is my animagus form a stag and your patronus a stag? That can't be a coincidence."

"James, maybe we are more alike each other than just our surnames and its just the world's way of telling us." Harry laughed a little nervously; he was never that good at 'winging it' as Ron used to say.

"Maybe that's what Lily said about you, she said we were very alike."

"Smart girl she is. I notice you like her a bit."

James blushed; everyone just assumed that he constantly badgered her to go out with him because it was the quickest way for Lily to loose her temper. "Yeah I like her a lot" James admitted it.

"Another thing we have in common then, we act like idiots in front of girls" Harry smiled.

"How did you get your girlfriend to go out with you then?"

"Well it helped that she liked me beforehand and well I sort of kissed her in front of like 50 people including her very recent ex boyfriend and her brothers after she won the quidditch final in my 6th year because she played my position after I was in a detention or banned or something can't remember that bit."

"I don't think I could duplicate the situation." James replied mournfully.

"Definitely without the same results." Harry mused.

"Yeah!" James agreed.

"Be yourself, as hard as it is when there's a pretty girl around, she'll be more impressed with you than all the showing off. That's another thing my girlfriend said to me."

"She's smart"

"She puts up with me that's all I want."

"Do you ever think there's a chance of me and Evans?"

"Start calling her Lily and of course where there's a will there's a way."

"You are so full of optimistic little sayings aren't you?"

"Yes, I had the misfortune to come close to death one time and its amazing how people take so many things for granted. Just the beating of my own heart amazed me. And like my friend Hermione says that if you don't laugh things off you'll just end up crying over them."

"What happened?"

"Someone wanted to kill me, he held many of my friend's sort of hostage and if I didn't come to him they would all die."

"Well that's a bit silly putting so much faith in your heroism, not that many people would actually do that."

"Oh but everyone knows I have a hero complex, I want to be the person to save everyone, not intentionally but I can't sit by and not do something so I walked down to him and every step I took became hard, it's different when you walk into uncertainty but when you know that you are to die its so different, I said goodbye to no one didn't tell anyone my plan, because if I did I didn't think ill be able to make it. I walked past Ginny, my girlfriend. I couldn't say goodbye to her, because if I said anything to her or let her know I was there I would never have left her. Anyway I done it came through in the end and lived to tell the tale."

"You haven't told many people what happened did you? I can see it in your face how fresh the emotions are."

Harry looked up to his father "No I've told no one the full story, my life is a series of woven lies and secrets that I must keep to me and my two closest friends. I would love to tell the tale, because it is actually a really good story, full of lies, deceit, love, despair, neglect all the human emotions and a baddie better than most of the movies" Harry laughed.

James saw how much Harry had actually dealt with over his life as in his short speech he saw so many different emotions expressed over his face.

"What was the hardest point?"

"That's tricky, either watching my godfather die, no there was worse, the worst point in my life was when I walked into a room and saw the last link to my family lying on the floor dead next to his new wife when they had a 2 month old child at home, next to him was a good friend my girlfriends brother actually dead with his whole family crying at him it was too much for me, it was the one time I truly wanted things to be done, to feel no more, to rip my heart from my chest and get rid of the feelings I was having.

But no less than 30 minutes later I had learnt the full truth about my short life and went to walk death row. I believed so solidly that I was about to die, to join my parents, my godfather, the friends I'd lost that the grief that had consumed me not long before was displaced I no longer felt so angry and hurt by death, it was replaced by a sort of desperation not to join them, its hard to explain, and it actually feels like a totally unique situation, and I think I did myself proud, the way I dealt with it, how I managed to die with that much dignity."

"You died?" James cried out.

'Oops' Harry thought 'he never meant that to slip out'

"Yes, but not really, because I was tied to life by the person who was trying to kill me its incredibly complicated and I just about understand it, it's like dying but being given CPR and you live again, I was gone no more than 30 seconds."

"Oh I see, so this is where you got all your experience from, fighting this man who was trying to kill you."

"Yes, and he threw quite a few nasty things our way, some of it was just weird!" Harry said thinking of the Nagini that lived in Bathilda Bagshot when they visited Godric's Hollow.

"So, are you going to fight against the Dark Lord? Because you fought this other guy, and you survived so you can help us right?"

"I'm not sure how long I'll be around I think I'm leaving at the end of the year."

"Where are you going?"

"Home"

"Where's that?"

"Far away. Far enough away that I can be of little use to you."

"What do you live in Australia?"

Harry laughed, "Hmm that's a good idea I should move to Australia."

James sighed, whenever the Professor didn't want to answer a question he avoided it quite successfully as if he'd done this for years.

"Ok I get it, but do you think you could help some of us train to fight again him?"

"Who?"

"Sirius, Remus, Frank, Lily I'm sure, Alice, me of course and there are others who would want to learn."

"I'll think about it but I don't have a problem with that. I'll let you know after the next lesson, and it'll be up to you to recruit the others to this defence class."

"Great." James jumped up. "Well nice talking to you bye." He said as he walked out. He got up to the common room and sat down happily next to Sirius as he helped him play.

A/N: What do you think?


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: A new DA is born.**

"So what did you find out?" Sirius asked the second James walked through the portrait hole.

"Lots, nothing I went to find out of course but that Professor is amazing." Little did Harry know just how observational James was. James knew that there were a lot of secrets that the defence Professor was hiding but he knew that he would learn none of them by asking the blunt questions.

He knew that the Professor had a soft spot for the marauders and Lily, except Peter.

Once Harry saw James walk down the corridor with Peter and Harry's eyes turned hard and spoke to Peter only politely before excusing himself and running off.

Why he was fond of Lily was obvious James thought she was every teacher's model student, but James saw a picture of Harry with a red headed girl earlier in his office so he thought that maybe Harry has a thing for red heads, but as a Professor he shouldn't think that about Lily, and well Lily, James wanted to be with Lily, and didn't Harry give James advice on Lily?

James shook his head he shouldn't dwell too much. He relayed some of the news but kept the thing about Harry's death experience quiet as he knew that it was private and shouldn't be spread around.

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A week passed before James was kept behind in his defence class.

"Look it wasn't me. I wasn't passing that note." James protested as soon as he got to Harry's desk. Harry was looking at the door on the other side of the classroom as it swung shut after the last student left.

"Yeah I know, it would look a bit suspicious if I kept you behind for a good old chin wag though. So I planted something on you."

"You planted that? I didn't notice."

"Really? Another thing we seem to have in common, being sneaky, besides I've been waiting a week for you to try something in my class I'm almost disappointed I've been subjected to only one prank I thought you were the marvellous marauders, prank chiefs, this is your last year you want to go out with a bang, leave behind your legacy right?"

Harry said.

"Anyway I'm up for the defence club; I had one at school that was fun, good times. I can do Tuesdays or Thursday evenings. Get the rest to come."

"Who taught your defence club?" James asked before he could stop himself.

"Oh I did, it was an illegal gathering of students, and we had some person trying to stop gatherings of more than 2 students, so we rebelled."

"Cool! But yeah I'll get everyone to meet say this Thursday in your office?"

"Good, I'll see you then."

James walked out the door and joined Remus and Sirius who waited behind for him.

"I take it you didn't get detention with that smile on your face." Sirius said as they saw him.

"Me? Nah I'll explain later, besides I can worm my way out of detention any day." James laughed.

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That Thursday, James, Remus, Sirius, Frank Longbottom, Alice, Lily, Susan from Ravenclaw, and Alex from Gryffindor all went to Harry's office after dinner.

They waited in their classroom that adjoined the office for Harry to appear. He came down from his office to see all the students lounging around not noticing him entering.

He cast a disillusion charm on himself and walked down the stairs. He stood just off from the group wondering how he could best scare them all. He decided that the classic way would be the best way.

He positioned himself behind Lily and Alice who were standing up talking to the marauders who were leaning against the desks behind them.

Then as loudly as he could he screamed 'boo'.

Lily screamed loudly and jumped away from the voice which happened to be right on top of James who fell off the desk bringing Lily with him the rest of the marauders fell like dominos.

Alice didn't scream though. Instead she turned round and punched as hard as she could in the face. She hit her target, hard.

Harry fell down on the floor as Alice pointed her wand at her Professor.

Harry stared at her in amazement this was a definite memory for Neville when he got home. He ended his disillusion charm on himself so they wouldn't attack him further.

"Oh Professor, I'm sorry I just sort of reacted." Alice apologised as she helped him up and summoned a handkerchief to wipe away the little bit of blood from his nose.

"No don't apologise, that was incredible Alice, I'm really proud you done that." Harry said looking at her awed, whilst Alice blushed under his praise.

"Professor, she jus attacked you." Remus said.

"Exactly, constant vigilance is our new motto; don't think that Hogwarts is the safest place in the world. I mean it is of course but think what a fellow student could do to you unarmed and helpless? She heard me creep in here and I don't make a sound believe me I've tested that yet when I screamed literally in her ear she didn't jump or fall over like the rest of you did she reacted to it. So congrats Alice you're my star pupil at the moment." He saw the other students consider the challenge to outdo Alice and stand up straighter and place all their attentions to the teacher.

2 hours later Harry let the Gryffindors leave as it was nearing curfew time, and Harry thought they had done enough training for one night.

"I can't believe how fast he was moving; he dodged all our hexes with so much ease it's incredible. There was 6 of us trying to catch him and not one hit him. And all his knowledge about the stuff you-know-who can do is really extensive and that can better prepare us for our future." James blabbered on. The rest of the group sighed he'd been going on for 10 minutes and showed no signs of letting up.

"Someone has a new hero, eh James?" Sirius said in attempt to divert his friend.

"Yes, it's incredible." James started again.

"I wonder who taught him." Lily pondered aloud.

"Probably an auror, he's got a lot of their talents and skills, maybe he is an auror and got sucked into the battle/war thingy he mentioned to me before."

"A bit young for being a fully qualified auror." Frank said. "My cousin trained to be an auror and he graduated when he was 24." Everyone thought about that one.

"Okay, so he was specially trained by an auror." Sirius claimed.

"Well that would make most sense since it seems he's been dealing with this from an early age. Remember that vague mention of fighting a dragon when he was 14." Alice said.

"I thought he was joking, how can you fight a dragon?"

"Well, he didn't sat anything about killing the dragon, he just said he went up against a dragon, but when we asked what else he got up to that year, he got strange, that empty look in his eyes was scary." Lily said.

"I think something much worse than a dragon happened that year, he looked so, so hurt." Remus tried to say.

"Maybe someone he knew died." James interjected.

Everyone seemed to agree that it was the most likely suggestion. They were near the common room by now as James lifted a tapestry to reveal a hidden corridor, which was a shortcut to the Gryffindor tower.

As they neared the end of the corridor they saw a prone body lying on the floor apparently unconscious.

They ran towards him and gathered around. Lily found his pulse and released the breath she was holding in when she found a strong steady pulse.

"Remus, Sirius, go down to the Hospital Wing and alert Madam Pomphrey that we have a guest for her tonight, quick as you can." James said.

The two boys ran off immediately.

"Susan, Alex, I need you to find the Headmaster in his office. The password was Lemon Drops but if its not try all the sweets muggle and magical until you get to the right one. If you still can't do that go to McGonagall Office she should still be up. One of them needs to be alerted about our guest." James said as he looked down at the man.

"Why?" Alex blurted. "I get the nurse, but it's just a student or something right?"

"Well actually if you look the robes he's wearing are ordinary black robes, no house insignia on it, and he's too old to be in school he's about Professor Potter's age I'll say." James replied. "Go on you two, hurry. The four of us can watch him.

"I'm impressed you just did that." Lily said from her position kneeling on the floor by the young man.

"Well I'm not just a pretty face you know." James replied with a roughish grin as he pulled the map from his robes and turned it on.

"What's his name then?" Lily asked. As she stood up to peer over his shoulder at their location, whilst Frank and Alice put their guest in the recovery position.

She found the corridor they were in easily, there was 5 marked dots sitting together. But before she could read the map properly James had turned it off and folded the map and placed it under his robes again.

On the receiving end of her infamous glare James looked her and said. "The map must be broken the name is wrong, it's wrong."

"Well who made the map and you can find out if it's wrong."

"It has to be wrong you don't understand."

"Who made it? Zonkos? Owl them and ask them."

"I'm not going to owl myself Lily."

"What you made it?"

"Yeah with Sirius and Remus, I'd say Peter too but he just helped us draw out the schematics none of the actual magic."

"Well, that's the second time you've impressed me tonight." Lily said.

Just then the tapestry opened again and the matron followed by Sirius and Remus came striding towards them.

The matron expertly levitated the guest and brought him to the Hospital Wing where Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Alex and Susan were waiting.

"Ah everyone is here I trust" Dumbledore asked. They all nodded.

"Well there is no need for you all to remain, best for you to go to your common room, Head's stay behind I need a word." The group left leaving Lily and James with the Headmaster.

They quickly recollected their account of them discovering the young man, who was starting to stir. They gathered around the young man, who weakly opened his eyes.

"Oh man, my head is killing me." He turned to see everyone looking at him. "Harry, where have you been? Everyone's is going mad you left. Ginny's really upset. Luna seemed okay. Harry where were you?" He used up the last of his strength to grab James arm as he said that desperate to cling onto 'Harry' He fell back to sleep moments later.

"Ah I better get Professor Potter; I think this may be one of his friends." Professor Dumbledore said.

McGonagall sent her cat patronus out the Hospital Wing. Where a few minutes later a dishevelled Harry ran into the wing.

"What happened? Who's hurt?" He said as he ran, he stopped abruptly and looked at all of them.

"Do you recognise this man?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry looked and nodded "You know I do, else you wouldn't have asked me. He's a good friend of mine, he went school with me." Harry said. Dumbledore nodded. 'Another from the future, this could be a bad sign' He thought 'One is an accident two is coincidental and I don't believe in that.'

"Well once your friend has woken, which I doubt is until the morning, you should fill him in of his situation and find out how he got here." Dumbledore then escorted the two Head and the Deputy out of the Wing leaving Harry with his friend.

Harry sighed and moved closer to the bed.

"Oh Neville. What did you get yourself into?" He muttered as he sat down in the chair next to him.

A/N: Review please.


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I dont own Harry Potter, it belongs to J.K Rowling._

**Chapter 5: Somewhere I belong.**

The next morning Harry was woken by a shaking on his shoulders. He woke suddenly and fell out of his chair; he heard laughing and looked up to see the cheery face of his former DA member.

"So it was you I saw last night?" Neville laughed as he helped Harry get up.

"Saw me? You were asleep when I got here" Harry said confused.

"No it was you I'm sure. No matter. I'm glad you're home thought." Neville said as he rested back on his pillows again.

"I'm not home and now neither are you." Harry said cryptically.

"What do you mean?"

"What's the date?"

"Erm it's the 4th October."

"Correct, what year you forgot."

"Year? 2007 idiot." Neville laughed.

"Nope wrong, the year is 1983."

"What?" Neville exclaimed loudly.

"Look we've both somehow time travelled but at least we are together and not both stranded in time. What's the last thing you remember doing?"

"Erm I'm not sure it's a bit fuzzy, the last thing I remember was that I was on my way from the Burrow to go visit Luna, her house is just over the hill I think I got there or was very nearly there before my memories get a little hazy."

"Yeah that's exactly the same for me, I was going over to Luna's wanted to invite her round for dinner with the Weasleys, but decided to walk rather than send an owl. Next thing I know I'm in here with Dumbledore asking me how an intruder got into Hogwarts and what the point was considering it was the summer." Harry said remembering when he woke up sometime during the summer.

"Well this is really strange that we both come back in similar circumstances, if I were Hermione I'd have thought of a theory already, but as I'm not we'll leave that to Dumbledore." Neville said. "So does that mean both sets of our parents are alive here?

Maybe just finished school here?"

"Or maybe in their 7th year here." Harry finished with a smile.

"They are here?" Neville shot bolt upright and began to panic.

"Hey, calm down, they don't know who you are. Neither do my parents know who I am so we can just be their friends here." Harry assured his friend.

"Oh okay then that's good. But what if they don't like me?"

"I doubt that's a problem your parents are both lovely people who like everyone."

"Still I'm nervous, it's not like I've ever had a conversation with them."

"I know how you're feeling Neville, when I got here I was content with hiding till all this disappeared, but all that Gryffindor courage made me take up Dumbledore's offer to teach Defence class, and it's nerve wracking seeing them when they have no idea how important they are to you, but a relief in one way that there are no expectations or false bravado."

"Well I better suck up as much of my Gryffindor courage as I have and meet them.

This isn't a lot of courage knowing me."

"Are you kidding? What you did in that Battle when everyone thought I was dead was great, more Gryffindor courage than most had." Harry said as he clapped him on his shoulder and stood up. Harry had learnt that Neville was a bit like Ron when it came to courage, they needed constant assurances about their strengths and courage.

Harry dropped a bag on the end of the bed.

"There's a few clothes in there Poppy said she'll release you just before lunch so I'll get someone to show you the way to the Great Hall."

"I know the way Harry."

"I know but as we are only a couple of years older than the students here Dumbledore thought it was best to come up with a cover story and pretend we never came here.

So we say we went to another school. The cover was that we go Salem's in USA, but we both came home to England every summer and Christmas, and since we left USA, we lived in England and that's why we haven't got an accent or anything."

"Okay that sounds alright. Easy to stick to."

"Okay I'll see you later; oh by the way do you want to be my assistant?"

Neville laughed. "Sure, it'll give me something to do."

Harry left and ran into Alice a few corridors away.

"Professor, how's our guest?"

"Alice, hi, yes our guest is fine, he's actually a friend of mine I invited round to help me out but he came a lot earlier than expected I suppose that was why Dumbledore didn't think of calling me earlier. But all is good right now. Say could you do me a favour?"

Harry said.

"Of course. What is it?" Alice asked.

"Just before lunch Madame Pomphrey is going to release my friend. Could you show him where the Great Hall is for me please?"

"Sure. I'd love to."

"Thanks Alice." Harry walked off with a small smile on his face. Neville would meet his parents sooner than he thought.

At lunch Harry was seated at the Teachers Table waiting for Neville to arrive, half the school had already turned up 'he should be here soon' he thought.

He saw Neville and Alice walk in a few minutes later deep in conversation, they walked all the way up to the teachers table where Neville reluctantly left her and sat next to Harry.

"Thanks" He whispered.

"Not a problem mate."

The rest of lunch passed in a blur.

A/N: Just a short chapter here, review please


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Nobody's Listening.

In the Headmaster's office 

"Harry, thank you for joining me. I have been thinking about the arrival of your friend."

'Oh here it goes' Harry thought 'What will he turn it into?'

"It seems to me that your arrival was accidental, yet the arrival of your friend in almost exact circumstances seems as though it was not an accident yet someone planned for it to be so. Therefore we must consider our options, and which best suit us."

"What options are those? You said you were trying to find a way for us to get home, have you been successful?"

"No all my attempts have not panned out yet, but since you and your friend are here perhaps we should consider what we should do against Voldemort, as you are the person who killed him in the future."

"What? You want me to kill Voldemort now? It won't work. There are a lot of things that were working for me in this future it's not going to work. Besides I can't interfere it's the grandfather paradox, I could change the future for the worse, or not even be born."

"Do you wish to subject the wizarding world to two wars when you can stop it before it begins?" Dumbledore said.

"Don't try that one don't do that." Harry said his temper rising.

"Harry so many lives could be saved, your parents lives for example."

"Don't try to play to my feelings. You know why time-travel isn't messed with regularly, I can't expect everything to go the same as it happened in the future I can't risk the future I know is safe to one where another Dark Lord may rise in, or worse happen." Harry was furious Dumbledore wanted him to kill Voldemort in this time rather than the future, where he had already done it.

Harry walked out the office as Dumbledore called out after him.

He made it down two flights of stairs when his anger had just increased. Growling in frustration, he ran all the way to his office where he retrieved his firebolt, and literally jumped out his window to go flying.

Several hours later found Harry still flying, swerving and diving all over the Quidditch Pitch as fast as he possibly could, he was being reckless but he couldn't help it. It felt so wrong but it was an attractive offer if everything went perfectly he would have a family, but would he still be the same person?

Suddenly a white patronus joined him in his flight, recognising it as Neville's. He landed in the middle of the field breathing hard. Neville and Alice (who led him to the pitch) ran up to him.

"Harry are you okay?" Neville asked concerned for his friend.

"I'm brilliant thanks" Harry retorted.

"No, your not, what is it?"

"I don't want to talk about it. I can't talk about it." Harry said as he turned towards the castle and begun to walk back. Alice and Neville fell into step with him.

"I guess it would help if Ron or Hermione or even Ginny came here rather than me" Neville admitted.

"No, it's not that. Dumbledore wants something from me and it's a hard decision. I don't feel qualified enough to make this sort of decision. It like back in 5th and 6th year, all them horrible things were happening, we had no idea what to do so we reacted on instinct and things weren't always for the best but here, I cant react on instinct I have to make proper decisions because I know what the consequences are if I get them wrong."

"What did Dumbledore want you to do?"

Harry looked at Alice who had fallen a few steps behind to give them some privacy.

"He wants me to kill Voldemort in this time." Harry whispered to Neville.

Neville gasped. "Can you do it? Should you?" He thought for a few minutes. "I see what you mean, how can you make that sort of assumption about the future and it is too much for one person."

They reached the castle and begun their walk up to the Defence office.

"Alice, you don't need to hang about you can go to your lesson now but thanks." Harry said as they realised she was still with them.

She started laughing. "Professor, we are going to your lesson."

"Oh, yeah I forgot" Harry mumbled.

They walked into the classroom to find most of the class assembled.

Alice ran over to Lily and they began to chat quietly at their table.

"Right settle down everyone." Harry called out. He introduced Neville as his 'lovely assistant' in which Neville did a little curtsey.

"I'm no one's assistant Harry." Neville pouted.

"Erm well no that's true."

"And I have a lot of experience in Defence thank you very much" Neville continued.

"Like?"

"Well when you never turned up for 7th year. Ginny and I ran the DA."

"Oh yeah" Harry said "I forgot you told me that. Well Neville congratulations you have just been promoted to co-worker."

"Gee thanks Harry I'll remember this."

"I bet you will, put it in a scrap book and show Luna when we go home." Harry teased.

"Ooh who's Luna?" James yelled out.

"Harry nothing is going on between me and Luna."

"Yeah alright like nothing is going on between me and Ginny"

"Okay we aren't that serious yet,"

"So it is true. Ron owes me some money."

"What? You made a bet?"

"Yeah, we knew there was something going on, we made a bet at who you would tell first. I won" Harry grinned.

"What if I told you both at the same time?"

"Hermione would win, she thought you would do a massive tell everyone at the same time thing over dinner or something."

"Oh" Neville replied. Then a cheeky grin spread over his face.

"It's okay because I won a bet about you and Ginny."

"What?" It was Harry's turn to squirm.

"Hermione and I made a bet at when you and Ginny would get together."

"Really? Hermione?"

"Yeah she's always up for bets and stuff"

"What did you bet?"

"Oh she said that you two would get together when you would be talking and you would admit your feelings and ask Ginny out." The boys in the classroom snorted in response to this.

"Yeah I did tell her a guy was involved, I knew it would be Quidditch related since you're both on the team, high emotions etc. So I said you would get together either after a major game or the final itself. I won"

"Well you were right, seems you know me more than Hermione does."

"Nah she wanted something romantic and what not for Ginny I told her to be realistic." Neville laughed.

"So this was a bit of a distraction before class, so let's carry on hand in your homework everyone, and we can start the lesson." Everyone groaned as they settled down and pulled out their homework. Everyone perked up a bit as Harry wrote on the board 'Dangerous creatures, Dragons, Inferi, Thestrals and Others.

"Who can spot a mistake in this sentence from your textbook?" Harry asked straight away as Neville collected everyone's homework.

"No one?" He checked "Okay so what is a dragon? Yes Frank."

"It is a dangerous creature because of their resistance to spells as their hide is incredibly strong, they are protective of their babies and they breathe fire."

"Correct, some are even more ferocious than others."

"Oh like that Hungarian Horntail, you met in 4th year" Neville called out from the back of the class.

"Yeah that's the worse one to come up against apparently." Harry muttered.

"So we have established that dragons are dangerous usually when provoked. So what are Inferi?"

No one seemed to have an idea.

A Slytherin sighed a put his hand up.

"An Inferi is the body of a dead person that a wizard or a witch can control."

"Like a zombie?" Lily asked.

"Yes a zombie is an accurate analogy, except they don't have the over whelming desire to eat brains" Harry said as all the muggle borns and half's laughed.

"I don't think I get that bit Professor" Sirius said as he and James looked really confused.

"No it was that movie I showed you over the summer with the zombies, you remember that?" Remus said to his friends.

"Oh I get it, they kept saying they wanted brains, do all muggle fiction zombies do that then?" James asked thoroughly confused still.

"Don't worry James, not many wizards would get the joke." Harry consoled.

"So we have established that Inferi are also dangerous, but they are only as dangerous as the wizard that controls them. So then last question, what are thestrals?"

This time no one made any move to answer the question as no one had any idea.

"They are considered to be dark creatures but it is a misconception, I asked Hagrid if he could try and lure a few to his hut where we could see them so he should be sending a message that he has them any minute now."

Just then an owl tried to get through the closed window. Neville hurried over to it and took the message off the owl he read aloud

"Got a few adults and a baby or two hurry down before I run outta meat, move quietly when you're near my hut

Hagrid"

"Great well grab your things are move quickly to Hagrids hut and we can see some thestrals."

They made there way there Harry and Neville took the lead because they thought the students wouldn't know when to stop as many would be unable to see the creatures.

"There do you see them?" Harry asked pointing towards Hagrid who was holding a bit of rare steak to a baby thestral who grabbed it and scoffed it down.

"Oh Merlin, Harry I can see them. I've never been able to see them before" Neville said.

"Yeah well you've seen someone die now haven't you?"

Harry turned to the class and said in a louder voice.

"Who can see the creatures near Hagrid?" Only few hands were raised. Remus, James and Alice.

"Why can we see them but no one else?" James asked.

"Well James, I can ask a rather insensitive question or I can address the whole class to that question."

"Ask the class" James said scared of what the question would be.

"The reason why Thestrals are considered a dark creature is because the only way for a person to be able to see them is if they witness the death of someone else. Because of this association with death and their appearance they are considered to be evil. But actually they are incredible tame, enjoy a bit of good rare steak, and have never harmed a student in Hogwarts am I right Hagrid."

"Yes you are, not one student has been touched by these creatures."

"These thestrals pull the carriages from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts, which shows that you are in no trouble, they have been doing this tradition for many years if I understand correctly." Harry turned away as he saw Alice approach the youngest thestral, as she knelt down where the baby was lying chewing the rest of its steak she raised her hand to stroke it. The adult thestrals turned towards Alice and gave her a hard look, and then they turned away. Neville let out a breathe and reholstered his wand.

James and Remus seemed too nervous to approach the creatures.

"So you two can see them then?" Lily asked the teachers.

"Yes" Neville replied. "A lot of our friends are able to see Thestrals now."

"What do they look like?"

"Well I know it sounds bad, but incredibly emaciated horses, just bones and skin, but it's not a bad ride. They fly you see." Neville explained as he saw her look of confusion.

"It's better to fly on a Hippogriff" Harry said.

"Is there anything you haven't tried out?" Lily asked amazed.

"A normal life" Harry laughed.

They made their way up to the Defence class again and carried on until the bell rang for end of day.

A/N: Someone pointed out that my dates were wrong so sorry! I've therefore changed the year from 1983 to 1978. So that makes Lily and James having Harry about 2 years after Hogwarts.


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